This invention relates to a collector device for collection of a medical patient's stool specimen for examination and testing by a physician or a medical test laboratory. For many illnesses, particularly stomach and intestinal tract disorders, it is a conventional and common practice to examine and test a patient's feces for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Also, some post-operative monitoring procedures include periodic examination of the patient's feces.
Stool specimen collection has in the past been accomplished by the patient, with or without assistance, holding a pan or other container under the rectum, either in a squatting position or while sitting on a conventional toilet. The awkward nature of such procedures is evident. Specimens have also been collected by retrieving the specimen from the toilet water with a scoop after a patient has defecated. This method has the potential of contaminating the specimen with unclean toilet water, which may in some occasions adversely affect a test or analysis.
The past methods of stool collection are not only awkward to perform, but are somewhat embarrassing to the patient. Further, such methods commonly use a container that is not self draining, causing added problems of spillage, and subsequent separation for analysis, or that is not disposable, causing problems of possible contamination.
The stool specimen collection device of this invention is constructed for convenient attachment to a conventional toilet seat with a receptacle centrally located below the seat, above the water level in the toilet. The collection device is fabricated from a material that is water resistant, or at least not structurally denegrated by water or fluid discharge by the patient. The device is preferably constructed with a receptacle that includes perforations to allow drainage of liquids that may otherwise be inadvertently entrapped in the receptacle. The drainage feature facilitates removal of the collector from attachment to the seat, and placement of the collector and contents into a sealable container for transport to the examination facility.
The collector device of this invention is designed primarily for the convenience of the users, allowing the patient to defecate in a normal comfortable manner using a conventional flush toilet, and allowing the patient or medical staff to remove and package the specimen quickly, conveniently and without contaminating auxiliary components such as pans, trays or the like. The relief of the patient's tension and anxiety alone allows the stool sample procedure to be accomplished with minimum delay and complication. The simplicity of the procedure allows for office out-patient or home use of the device for collection of the necessary specimens.